1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-cleaning oven with improved venting system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The outer surface of the doors of self-cleaning ovens must be kept at a sufficiently low temperature even when the oven operates at its maximum temperature, for example during the self-cleaning operation.
Generally, the oven doors have an interspace between the outermost panel, the one which may be touched by the user, and an internal panel. An aspirator, normally located in the upper part of the oven, is connected to the interspace, which is in turn connected to the outside by means of lower openings in order to generate a circulation of cold air, drawn from the outside, in the interspace, thus keeping the external panel at a temperature which is substantially lower than that of the internal panel which is closest to the cooking compartment.
Conventional doors have the disadvantage of having a considerable size: for an effective elimination of the heat it is in fact necessary to provide a relatively large interspace.
Furthermore, in the conventional venting systems the hot air is discharged either at the back of the oven cabinet or in the front.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,100, for example, discloses a venting system wherein air is drawn up through the door by means of a suction fan and discharged through an exhaust vent provided either at the top or back wall of the oven cabinet. It is evidently necessary to provide a space either at the back or above the oven for allowing the air to be discharged and it is a considerable disadvantage when the oven has to be included in the kitchen furniture.
Other ovens are provided with the air outlet at the front of the cabinet, above the door. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,015 discloses such an arrangement. Such an arrangement has a considerable disadvantage: the outlet is in fact close to the door handle which may become very hot and when the discharged air contains moisture, water drips on the handle and on the outer panel of the door.
The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved venting system for household ovens.
Another aim of the present invention is to provide an oven having reduced dimensions compared to conventional ovens of similar capacity.
A further object of the invention is to provide an oven which can be easily included in the kitchen furniture.